Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Lounging Around

You might recall my rockin-good-time constructing a Cocoon Couture beanbag for Fern a couple of weeks back. I thought I'd found the perfect solution: stylish, practical, cute, affordable... how could I go wrong?! But alas, it appears that this beanbag is a little too big for Fern just yet, she can't get comfortable in it and in short I am back to the drawing board!

I went shopping today for solutions, and let me tell you there are slim pickings on the kids furniture front. The only thing the remotely served a practical purpose was one of those fold-out foam lounges you can get from Toys R Us. I laid one on the floor and Fern immediately clamoured onto it. She loved it! Did I snap one up immediately?

Um, no.

Why why why why is most kids stuff so gaudy and emblazoned with images of Barbie or Thomas the bloody Tank Engine? In this particular instance, my only available option was Spiderman. Nothing against Spiderman, I certainly like Tobey Maquire (hot!)... but I simply cannot bring myself to have a Spiderman lounge in my living room, even if it was only $50.

I briefly toyed with buying one and attempting to sew a new cover...but I've only ever done it once, and that was for a piano stool which seems a lot less ambitious. Still, it might be the only option given the only other fold-out lounge I can find which doesn't have Disney all over it are these ones from Urban Baby, but I'm sorry, I am so not paying $250 for one!!

And this one is cute AND practical, with bonus toy storage. Priced at $129 from Hipkids:

But I've decided I am going to try Big W later, the word on the street is that they have plain covers available for the fold-out sofas for $5. I figure Fern will use it for so little time, I don't want to waste a lot of moolah, and she has her beanbag for later on as well. I'll let you know how I go...

Have you been through this with your toddler? What furniture solution have you come up with?

Postscript: well, went to Big W and it delivered nothing. It's meant to be - - I always hated those lounges anyway. For now, Im improvising with a floor cushion, a pillow and the beanbag as a backrest! xo

7 comments:

Hi Nicole, I too bought the cocoon couture beanbag for my 14 month old hoping she would love it, however i found she preferred our couch and now regularly climbs up onto it and rarely uses her beanbag, sigh...oh well! maybe our next child will use it.Good luck with your search. xx Marta

I too am not a fan of Barbie or Thomas (well not in my living room anyway). I like the Urban Baby one but I wouldn't pay that price either. Hope Big W has an option for you - let us know how you go... x

I personally think toddlers are way too busy to sit down for a period of time that would warrant a fold out lounge, apart from the fact I hate them & character merchandise...I have 4 kids and gave away the 2 I had for my boys. My girls don't have one. They end up getting in the way all the time, they fall over them & then when you have other kids over they pull at them and they easily fall apart...Within a few months I'm sure Fern will use her bean bag!!! I do like the pink lounge from Hipkids & Nicole I didn't pay full price for my Bed Bath & Table teepee!

I went throught exactyl the same thing a few years ago. I ended up making a cover (not easy)but I was proud of my effort and it looked nice. Now if someone could come up with making & selling stylish covers that were removeable so you could wash - they would be on a winner!

I agree with all your comments, and have decided I really don't need one after all! Anonymous, I was thinking the exact same thing; someone could make a killing! -- perhaps I have found myself a lucrative new business?!

Hi! I'm Nicole... a creative, details obsessed girl that literally cannot sit still! I'm passionate about my sewing projects, animals, licorice allsorts, craft and cook books and my two adorable children... though not necessarily in that order! My blog is a diary of my muddle through motherhood, a journal of things that inspire me, and a way to communicate with the world whilst wearing my uggies!